Patr≤n aims for perfection with its new social-networking site

Patr≤n tequila aficionados have a new online venue in the Patr≤n Social Club, an interactive, members-only social site designed to build a community among Patr≤n enthusiasts and retain customer relations.

The Patr≤n Social Club is an extension of Patr≤n's "Simply Perfect" marketing campaign that combines print, television, outdoor and online ads. The message of the campaign is that, while "some perfection is debatable," when it comes to tequila there is no debate.

The campaign's print ads aim to spark debates and are strategically placed alongside select editorial content. They invite consumers to voice their opinions at www.simplyperfect.com.

"The response to the debates was so overwhelming that we decided to make a site where we could not only communicate with consumers but where they could also reach out to one another," said Matt Carroll, VP of marketing at Patr≤n Spirits Co., Las Vegas.

To support the launch of the Patr≤n Social Club, the company uses targeted ads in regional and national magazines, invitation cards and refer-a-friend e-mails to encourage people to join.

To join the Patr≤n Social Club, people of legal drinking age can log on to the site at www.patronsocialclub.com. To build profiles, users are asked to answer a short questionnaire about topics they are most interested in, including fashion, technology, nightlife and bars.

Patr≤n will use customer profile information to target its marketing for special events, sweepstakes and products.

On the Web site members can read about and comment on trends, share tips and find out about Patr≤n events. The site includes information about the brand, its history, the distilling process and environmental initiatives.

In the "ID Your Bottle" section of the club, members can find out the origins of a particular bottle of Patr≤n, whose bottles are numbered serially. Users can enter the handwritten number found on their bottles of Patr≤n Silver, Reposado or A±ejo to find out information on the field in Jalisco, Mexico, where the agave was grown, and the year it was harvested, distilled and bottled.

The Patr≤n Social Club and the "Simply Perfect" campaign were created by Dallas-based branding agency The Richards Group, in partnership with agency affiliates Richards Relationship Marketing and interactive group Click Here.

"The goal with the site is to build up our customer list and to build brand loyalty with existing customers," Carroll said. "The more we can get the customers to the site, the more we will be able to build brand loyalty and share with our community. It's not just about recipes for drinks; it's about a long-term relationship."